


Insecurity laid bare

by astracrits



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-23 19:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18556300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astracrits/pseuds/astracrits
Summary: Niles is tired of a female summoner being insecure, so he follows her around to see how she reacts to a certain situation.





	Insecurity laid bare

**Author's Note:**

> This was a request I got on my tumblr blog astra-crits and I think it's the second drabble I post!! Hope you enjoy this :D

Nobody could understand how much you hated giving speeches to all your troops before going into battle, not even if Hector, Leo, Tana, Camus or Sharena were right there to make you feel better, it was horrible spending nights trying to devise a plan for battle, and not sleeping at all because you couldn’t think of any words to say to them.

Still, it was required of you, as the legendary summoner, you were required to speak to everyone, to always put up an act that left drained at night, that left you shaking and almost to the point of crying. You were strong, but this always overwhelmed you.

It didn’t help your case that Narcian or other heroes mocked you, saying “Is this our leader? an insecure girl that can’t get her thoughts together? Bah!” and then left to do other things, you had to gather all your strength just to tell them to stay, and your voice wasn’t even that loud. You were always feeling embarrassed when Shiro shouted at them to stay or when Zelgius ordered them to do so. You wanted to do things by yourself, but you couldn’t, you were so insecure.

Most of the heroes tried to overlook this since they had a massive amount of respect for you, but they could clearly see that the other’s mockery was starting to get to you more and more. They didn’t defend you because you couldn’t tell them to, having them do it would add to the whole situation, and you didn’t want that to happen.

It was the fated day when your army would advance into Múspell territory and you were making your daily rounds through the barracks and the tents, that was something you liked, it didn’t require any bravery to check on the others. You were walking near the area where they keep the wyverns, when Valter and Narcian caught your attention by laughing manically.

You didn’t want to turn around, but you did. “Do you really think you can lead us into battle against Múspell?” The blonde general had spoken, you could feel the acid in his words, in his tone, in his expression. “You must be jesting, the only place you will leade us is to our dooms”

Then, Valter added to the harsh words. “It will be a bloodshed, for the enemy, that is, all of our bodies will be piled onto one another, and at the bottom, in the very middle, will be yours, forever crushed by hundreds of cold and warm bodies” He had turned to his wyvern and spoke to you no more.

Narcian was the one to continue. “Don’t even think for a second that we will be following the orders of a puny girl, you can’t even defend yourself with a wooden stick, much less pick up a sword to fight for your people” He too turned to his mount. “I will not stay here and fight a battle we will surely lose”

The three of you knew more than anyone that you could really win the war, you had a vast number of heroes and troops, but they were personally attacking you. 

A tear had begun rolling on your cheek. “You are not going.” You said, or rather, whispered, neither of the two could hear you. “You are staying here and fight” This time your voice rose a bit, but it was still hard to hear. “No”

Both of them turned around instantly as if an enemy had appeared in front of them, which may very well have been the case. “What did you say?”

You flinched, you took some steps backward.

“We asked you a question” You could see a smile on Valter’s mouth, the same one Erikira and Ephraim told you he did when he was hunting them.

“She said no” You turned your head to the side to see Niles, walking towards you, visibly angry. Everybody stayed silent until he stopped and stood next to you, arms crossed, brow furrowed.

“Why you…” Narcian began speaking.

Niles cut him off the instant those words came out of his mouth. “She also said you are staying here and fight” His voice was low but firm. “You’re not going anywhere other than the battlefield”

Valter had taken a step forward, visibly angry as well. “What did you just say?”

“I said” His voice rose in tone, yet he still remained calm. “You are staying here, and you will fight against Surtr”

You were shaking then, you were waiting for a fight, to scream for other heroes to come to stop it. Nonetheless, nothing happened, the three of them stayed in silence, looking at each other. “Don’t think this is over, just because we don’t want that idiot Odin and that fancy prince here”

You were expecting a “What makes you think I need them?” From Niles, but he said nothing, it was after a few seconds that the two riders left, and you were left alone with Niles.

You released the breath you were holding, your shoulders dropped, you were starting to calm yourself until Niles spoke to you. “You’re worse than a dog, you know that?”

You knew Niles laid it on thick, but you weren’t expecting that reaction, it almost hurt as much as what Narcian and Valter had said. “W-What?” You asked, shocked.

“They’re right, you really are insecure, and you can’t get your head on straight” He was looking at you the same way he looked at the other two men. “You need to get your head in the game, you’re our leader and I don’t intend to die out there, not because you didn’t have the balls to give an order”

If what Narcian had told you before had hurt you, this brought much more pain. “I-”

“You what?” He interrupted you, you could see in his arms that he was tense. “Are you telling me that you’re going to stop being that scared, insecure girl and finally standing up to those assholes? That you are going to be shouting your orders at war council and that little talk you give us?” When you stayed silent, he continued. “Because that’s what I expect from you if lord Leo and Odin are going to survive this place, we need you as sharp as possible, I don’t care if you’re swearing or you have to hit us” Niles turned, but didn’t move. “Look, my first and only priority is protecting my lord, but I will do my best to assist you from time to time” He took some steps, then turned his head. “Show them you are a lion and not the dog they think you are”

You stood there, taken aback by what he said, it wasn’t until he was out of sight and you were left completely alone that you started crying.

But they weren’t tears of sadness, they were tears of change, tears of small happiness that had found its way to you.

You started running back to your tent, wiping your tears and full of a determination you didn’t think you had. As soon as you got there, you started devising plans.

The next day, all of the troops marched on, rallying, filled with hope and newfound strength, you managed to push the enemy on their own territory.


End file.
